Need help with FLASH

[simonydes]

hello,
I do not own a flash and I was thinking of purchasing one soon and try to experiment and get into using flash and what not. So far everything I've been shooting was with natural light. I want to shoot at a club/lounge so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a flash that they maybe had experience with?
I have been looking at few at adorama but its hard for me to decide which one to get because I don't have much experience with any.

Also, would it b possible to use my build in flash and put a diffuser on it? is there a big difference between the two?

Thanks in advance. :hug::

 

[redtippmann]

First you need to decide if you want to use a studio strobe or a speedlight. I use speedlights because I can take them wherever and I can use them. And they are smaller an more portable.

And yes there is a huge difference between on camera flash and off camera. I never use the pop up flash... Well that is mainly due to the fact that I broke it when I was using it to flip pebbles in the air when I was board.

 

[simonydes]

First you need to decide if you want to use a studio strobe or a speedlight. I use speedlights because I can take them wherever and I can use them. And they are smaller an more portable.

I am most def looking for something small and portable.

 

[redtippmann]

Sounds good! I would recomend getting yourself a Vivitar 285HV and then you will need a stand for it to sit on and you'll need one of these to connect the flash to the stand. Then you will need a way to trigger the flash, I would recommend this wireless trigger for a starter.

So that setup will get you a light off your camera and onto a stand. Now how do you want to diffuse the light (if at all).

You said that you were going to use this at a club. Does this club have a white ceiling? If so you could aim that flash up at the ceiling and get a huge light source that way.

But if you wanted to do portraits and stuff like that I would recommend this umbrella.

 

[Stephen.C]

Redtippman basically said what I wanted to say and more =)

 

[D-B-J]

Redtippman said it all.

 

[redtippmann]

Oh and defiantly check out the strobist blog. They have a great strobist 101 article that should be a requirement for all starting strobist.

EDIT: And if you go with the 285HV (or any flash with a plastic hot shoe) do not use the cold shoe that comes with the umbrella bracket! You will tear up the plastic hot shoe. So I would get this. Or if you have a speedlight foot do what I do and use that.

 

[oldmacman]

Before you run out and make a bunch of purchases, what kind of camera do you have, what is the lighting like in the lounge and what type of access will you have to set up lighting? There's no use getting equipment that club owners might not let you use. Will customers be in the lounge when you are taking photos? If so, flashing and setting up umbrellas may be frowned upon. Just saying you need to provide more info and ask more questions before buying.

 

[simonydes]

thanks Redtippman! those r actually in my price range and i do need something for portraits. however i think it would b too much setting up in the lounge and i am not sure if they will be ok with stands and lights around.
i would need something that can stay attached to the camera and move with me. Any ideas?

 

[brownieapple]

Well that is mainly due to the fact that I broke it when I was using it to flip pebbles in the air when I was board.

yes. i was flipping paper off of mine the other night at ihop. i mean it didn't break but it was pretty fun.

also good info!

 

[JeffieLove]

redtippman - will that speedlight foot stand thing fit on a vivitar 285hv?

I am getting some lighting stuff too and am now wondering if I should get something else...

I have a vivitar 285hv, and am getting these:

Umbrella adapter - 781404 Adorama Universal Swivel Holder fits Shoe Mount Flashs
Light Stand - 9908 Westcott Pro 8' Free Sliding Lightstand with 5/8 Mounting Stud, 4 Sections with 3 Risers, Black Anodized.

Should I get that stand thing? How would it attach to the light stand?

Sorry for the hijack Simonydes :/

 

[redtippmann]

That frio cold shoe is built to the standard size of most cold shoes so I would say it would work. And you see the pic of the swivel holder? There is a silver square thing? That's the cold shoe. The one I had uses a screw that when tightened it would actually scratch up the hotshot of the flash pretty bad.

And Jeffie do you have any way to sync the flash to your camera?

Finally simonydes, if you want use on camera flash I would recommend a flash that can swivel as well as tilt. The vivitar only tilts, so I would look for a different flash. But sadly I have only used the vivitar and a sb-600/800 and I don't know if those are in your price range.

 

[JeffieLove]

red, I have a radio trigger thing (at least that's what I think it is lol) ... one thing sits on the hotshoe, the other piece goes on the bottom of the flash and when I take a picture the flash fires when off camera.

 

[redtippmann]

Yep that works. Now do you attach the radio receiver via a wire? If you use something like a cactus v2 or v4 you can just mount that on the swivel holder and pass up the frio... But I use a wire to connect the two together because it is safer.

 

[JeffieLove]

Okay, I don't use a wire, so I should be okay then?